Gamers' Thumb

Rate & Share:

Related Links:

Info:

Lazy Summer

Where have all the good games gone?

By James Stevenson
July 11, 2003

As I sit here to write this column, I have no clue what to write about. It's not really writer's block, it's just a sort of apathy, like I don't really feel that invested into the game industry at the moment. I'm not sure what it is exactly. Maybe it's the fact that the most fun I've had gaming recently has come from two Game Boy Advance games, as well as my well-used copy of WORLD SERIES BASEBALL 2K3.

There are some games I am excited about. I want to play F-ZERO, KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC, FINAL FANTASY XI, FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES, but really this has been a very boring summer filled with titles that don't live up to the hype (see ENTER THE MATRIX and WARIO WORLD). My entertainment center has seen a lot more use for DVD watching than it has free-time gameplaying (gameplaying for review doesn't count).

Maybe I'm just a bit jaded, but nothing has come out with any resemblance of ingenuity in recent weeks. Course, I'm sure I'm missing some gem of a title since I'm overloaded with games to play, so maybe you have some ideas. Let me know by sending an e-mail to GamersThumb@Cinescape.com. And if you say STAR WARS GALAXIES, I'll punch you in the eye.

GAMER'S ANSWER

So this week you guys stuff our mailbag with thoughts on videogame piracy, here's some highlights (sorry if we cut your e-mail down a bit).

- I believe games these days are way over priced, I mean come on 50 bucks for a game you don't know is good yet but you want to buy it because it looks cool. I could put 50 bucks towards a car but no I want to buy this game that I've been waiting for but I'm not sure if its good. So I think burning games is ok sometimes. -Evan

- I hear the argument that these companies over charge for these products. While this may be true, it doesn't give us the right to just take it without paying for it.

If I had a neighbor that made more money then me, I wouldn't walk into his house and take his tv. I would probably be arrested for STEALING. Just because I don't like that he makes more then I do doesn't give me the right to steal.

Let's say I walk into the GAP. There's a lot of nice clothes but very expensive. Since I don't want to pay 30 bucks for a t-shirt, does that mean I can take it of the rack and walk out the door with it? No. Again, I would be arrested because it's illegal. -Chris Ward

- I have to agree with the majority and say that I do burn cd's. I usually make compilation cd's because most of the full cd's put out today are garbage and way overpriced. However on occasion I do buy a full cd because it is worthy of the money. My problem is that I am a club dj and I download remixes and songs you can't buy in the stores. The club scene is all about sharing music and remixes amongst each other, and I feel that the RIAA and recording artists in general who back this legislation are infringing on our rights. They claim they are doing this to save the music but in reality the only thing they are trying to do is line their pockets. This has nothing to do with the integrity of the music and I laugh at people who actually believe that. I will continue to fight this asinine legislation until it is repealed and I urge everyone to do the same. -D.J. VEXD

I see a valid point here considering remixes... although I'm not sure that remixes are covered under the same laws. I don't know that the artist can sue you for remixing their music... I'm pretty sure they can't sue for parodies, and I believe this would fall under the same type of category. Course, I could very well be wrong, but I think you do have a valid argument.

That said, I was thrilled with the responses we got. We really seemed to rile you guys up.

STAR WARS: KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC is one of this holiday's bestsellers.

Keep this up, and Gamers' Answer might get to be it's own separate mailbag article or something. -James

TIDBITS

A judge has blocked a Washington law that would prohibit the sale of some games to minors... STAR WARS GALAXIES is on top of the PC sales charts... Thailand has imposed a curfew on online gaming... KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC has gone gold... NEED FOR SPEED UNDERGROUND will be released this fall...

ON SHELVES

We're picking two games this week, basically because I'm an indecisive bastard who wants to make sure you blow a hundred bucks on Amazon. STAR WARS: KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC will satisfy your hunger for a single-player

The Nebraska Cornhuskers play the Oklahoma Sooners at Memorial Stadium in NCAA COLLEGE FOOTBALL 2004